The Black Stiletto Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton of Bookpleasures.com

Dr. Wesley Britton

Reviewer Dr. Wesley
Britton: Dr. Britton is the author of four non-fiction books on
espionage in literature and the media. Starting in fall 2015, his new
six-book science fiction series, The Beta-Earth Chronicles, debuted
via BearManor Media. For seven years, he was co-host of online
radio’s Dave White Presents where he contributed interviews with a
host of entertainment insiders. Before his retirement in 2016, Dr.
Britton taught English at Harrisburg Area Community College. Learn
more about Dr. Britton at hisWEBSITE

Author: Raymond BensonPublisher: Oceanview Publishing ISBN-10: 1608090205ISBN-13: 978-1608090204In
1996, Raymond Benson was given the surprising assignment of becoming
the third writer of James Bond continuation novels despite the facts he
was neither British nor had a background in writing fiction. When his
run of 007 stories ended in 2002, he went on to pen books for the Tom
Clancy “Splintered Cell” series as well as a number of original
mysteries, including his “Rock and Roll Thrillers.” Now, Benson is
launching a new franchise and action-adventure fans should jump at the
chance to get in on the ground floor of this innovative addition to the
Benson canon.The story of The Black Stiletto opens
when Martin Talbot is given materials set aside for him by his mother,
an Alzheimer’s patient in a nursing home. What Martin discovers to his
great surprise was the woman he’d always known as

Judy Talbot began her
life as Judy Cooper—who became the legendary masked vigilante, The Black
Stiletto, in New York during the 1950s. Martin begins reading his
mother’s diaries which reveal her Texas childhood where she was raped by
an abusive step-father and how she learned she had heightened senses of
hearing and awareness of danger. Fleeing her childhood home at age 14,
Judy runs to New York where she is attracted to masculine pursuits
notably boxing, knife-fighting, and karate. She also develops a passion
for revenge after a Mafia family kills her gangster boyfriend. Inspired
by her boyfriend’s comicbook collection, Judy creates a costume to wear
when she tracks down those who murdered her lover; this kicks off her
career as an avenging crimefighter. Her vengeance also sends one of the
killers to a jail sentence of 50 years. As it happens, when he’s
released decades later, he goes on the hunt to do some avenging of his
own.Several
distinct voices are interwoven to tell the tale. First, there’s Martin
who is investigating the history of his Mother’s past while dueling with
his daughter over her career choices while learning he’s losing his job
as an accountant. Then there’s Judy’s very personal diaries that trace
her evolution from troubled teen to street fighter and the relations she
develops in new York. Finally, there’s the angry account of the man she
sent to prison as he is released with one goal in mind. Verisimilitude
is one strength of what could have been just a comic-book romp without
pictures. For one matter, the Black Stiletto can go months without any
adventures at all, even though she’s out there at night seeking the
oppressors of the weak wherever she can. She makes mistakes, gets hurt,
and is lucky to survive some encounters. Most of her adversaries are
either ordinary criminals or simply abusive men who exploit women. In
one episode, she takes out a Communist spy ring, in another she travels
to her hometown to nail the man who raped her when she was a child. Benson
is a master of description and pacing, so every page is both believable
and tightly sketched. While this novel is self-contained, Benson leaves
open a number of questions and threads so that at least one sequel is
inevitable. Visitors to his website can enjoy a free e-book Black
Stiletto adventure and see a clever promotional video to whet your
appetite. A fast read, you don’t have to be a feminist to enjoy this
fresh approach to super-heroes.Click Here To Listen to Dr. Wesley Britton's Interview With Raymond BensonClick Here To Purchase The Black Stiletto